1. US study trip to Nashville and
New York
Working collabora;vely with industry to
create a curriculum of the future
Jonathan de Sausmarez
Execu;ve Headteacher The Romsey School

2. Meet the team
David Crossley Andy Fitzgibbon Alan Yellup Jonathan de Sausmarez
Cathie Bates Evelyn Hicks Denise Knight

3. Academies – but not as we know it!

4. Nashville District Academy Programme
45th largest district in US, 145 schools
81,000 students Children from 108 countries 135
languages
Hispanic is fastest growing (17%)
English, Hispanic, Arabic, Kurdish (largest
popula;on in States) Somali, pacific rim
countries.
11,000 employees, 5200 teachers
70% of students on free or reduced cost lunches
Up to 40% of students in private schools

5. Mission statement
• All high school students will belong to a
personalised smaller learning community,
engaged around interests where rela;onships
are valued. Instruc;on will be project based,
applied and integrated where meaningful
business engagement is evident, post
secondary ins;tu;ons are involved and the
community is supported.

7. ‘Our future – our way’
• 2006 2nd lowest performing district in TN
• Recogni;on of long term vision
• Focus on Principal autonomy/Leadership of teaching
and learning
• Common core curriculum En Ma Sci US history
• $11,080 per pupil
• More ‘robust’ conversa;ons with Principals and staff –
third leg!
• Close working rela;onship with chamber of commerce,
Ford Motor Co
• Work with 9th – 11th grade student choice of academy

8. Beginnings
• Transforming teaching and learning
• Redesigning High schools
• Sustaining change through business and civic
leadership
• Project and enquiry based, real world applica;on
• Teachers in industry, working with business
• 175 organisa;ons working with schools
• Academy coach in every school

9. The Freshman
Academy
The Ford
Academy of
Business
The Academy of
Environmental
and Urban The Academy of
Planning Hospitality and
The Academy of Marke@ng
Medical Science
and Research

10. The Freshman
Academy The Gaylord
Entertainment
Academy of
Hospitality &
The CMT Finance
Academy of
Digital Design & The Academy of
Communica@on Avia@on and
The Academy of Transporta@on
Health Science &
Law

11. Crime and Jus;ce/Banking and Finance
From FBI to the classroom

12. Avia;on/ Robo;cs

13. Ofqual on Dec’ 20th or Health science?

14. Construc;on/Digital Media

15. Classroom redesign

16. Accountability
• Schools judged on % to college, gradua;on rates,
need 21 points
• Ave in 2010 18, in 2010 18.4
• Ave age of gang members in 2006 16 yrs, 2012 22
yrs
• All staff given 90 mins joint planning per day! In
all schools, crucial
• Demonstra;on schools to share best prac;ce
• Akendance up from 88% to 90.2%

17. 21st century learning
Lockers with charging facili;es

18. What the students say.............

19. “Crea;vity is the defeat of habit by
imposing originality and change.”
Pedagogical shig
90 minutes planning every day in teams
Industry support content, teachers pedagogy
Focus on deep learning with professors
Career plan for all students from Y9
Data wall (guess where they picked that up from?)
States provides standards for each area to work from
Core area students judged as below basic, basic, proficient and
Advanced
Social and Emo;onal Learning – D Coleman
Teaching the +1 rule!
1 lesson, taught to 4 classes (in NYC)

20. S;ll tackling some issues.....
• Don’t need a degree in maths to teach in
middle schools
• Large scale interven;on in some High Schools
• Interven;on now ;metabled 30 mins a day
• Large numbers of illegal immigrants
• Social issues, food, clothing
• S;ll a long way to go pedagogically!

21. “ I love you and there is nothing you can do
about it........” Principal to students over PA

22. Key thoughts at end of visit?
• Fundamental purpose of educa;on
• Would our CEO’s invest ;me in educa;on?
• Could we open our curriculum to industry?
• Do we believe all students should have career related
curriculum?
• Teachings schools – why aren’t industry part of this?
• Changes to KS4/5 even more restric;ve
• Block planning every day....... Surely we must try!
• Not a one size fits all
• Can schools be trusted and do we ac;vely seek trust?
• UK pedagogy based on Ofsted?

23. The future of
our curriculum?
Can we take control?
What is right for our
students
If it doesn’t fit with Mr
Gove, what can we do to
influence?
Focus on 11‐18, or wider?
Are we prepared to look
beyond the UK for the right
qualifica;ons?

24. “Party in hell is cancelled due to fire”